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Prison Strike 2018

Rebels incarcerated in prisons across the nation declared a nationwide strike in response to the riot in Lee Correctional Institution, a maximum security prison in South Carolina. Work stoppages, prison yard protests, commissary boycotts and other actions demanded humane living conditions, access to rehabilitation, sentencing reform and the end of modern day slavery.

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Strikers and protesters are still under attack for participating in the strike. Join our newsletter to stay up to date on their status and participate in calls to action on their behalf.

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Demands

Immediate improvements to the conditions of prisons and prison policies that recognize the humanity of imprisoned men and women.

An immediate end to prison slavery. All persons imprisoned in any place of detention under United States jurisdiction must be paid the prevailing wage in their state or territory for their labor.

The Prison Litigation Reform Act must be rescinded, allowing imprisoned humans a proper channel to address grievances and violations of their rights.

The Truth in Sentencing Act and the Sentencing Reform Act must be rescinded so that imprisoned humans have a possibility of rehabilitation and parole. No humanshall be sentenced to Death by Incarceration or serve any sentence without the possibility of parole.

An immediate end to the racial overcharging, over-sentencing, and parole denials of Black and brown humans. Black humans shall no longer be denied parole because the victim of the crime was white, which is a particular problem in southern states.

An immediate end to racist gang enhancement laws targeting Black and brown humans.

No imprisoned human shall be denied access to rehabilitation programs at their place of detention because of their label as a violent offender.

State prisons must be funded specifically to offer more rehabilitation services.

Pell grants must be reinstated in all US states and territories.

The voting rights of all confined citizens serving prison sentences, pretrial detainees, and so-called “ex-felons” must be counted. Representation is demanded. All voices count.

Over the last several days, Jailhouse Lawyers Speak (JLS) has had numerous conversations. The JLS mailbox has been packed with correspondence from prisoners around the nation. As prisoners, it's clear we are all on the same page. So are the prisoncrats overseeing the prison-industrial slave complex.

As organizers across the country step up preparations for the August 21st prison strike, prison officials and administrations will also be making plans for how to respond. Recent weeks have seen what appears to be a co-ordinated campaign of repression against prominent figures associated with the 2016 prison strike.